Slindon National Trust Estate Bat Research ProjectFollowing on from the success of this course in summer 2015, we are running it again. The course covers all aspects of advanced bat survey techniques and will be held at the National Trust Slindon Estate, in conjunction with a research project at the site, predominantly on barbastelle and Alcathoe bats.

In previous years 13 species have been caught during the course, including Geoffroy’s bat. Activities have included radio tracking, identifying new roosts sites for serotine, Alcathoe, and brown long-eared as well as discovering three new maternity colonies of barbastelle bats locally.

The course is aimed at a wide range of participants from experienced licenced bat workers and enthusiastic amateurs through to professional ecological consultants looking to expand their knowledge, experience and understanding of advanced bat survey techniques, and how these techniques can be used to gather greater information, autecology, species presence and knowledge of how species are using the local landscape.

The course will span a seven day (six night) period from Saturday 30th July 2016 through to Friday 5th August 2016 with both residential and non-residential options available. The residential option includes accommodation in the Slindon National Trust basecamp and all meals and packed lunches are included.

The aim of the course is to train and to provide hands on experience for all participants on advanced survey techniques in addition to funding, conducting, and assisting on a landscape level bat research and radio tracking project on the National Trust Slindon estate in Sussex. This information is being used to inform a number of research projects including a LIFE+ project in partnership with the South Downs Nation Park to enhance the South Downs for barbastelle bats.

Advanced Bat Survey TechniquesTraining course

Course Content

The course is run by some of the most experienced bat workers in the UK including some of the first researchers using sonic lures for trapping bats and researchers working on some of our rarest species.

Daytime sessions – Bat ecology and conservation.– Pros and cons of different survey techniques.– Mist netting and erecting mist nets– Harp trapping and erecting harp traps– Use of a sonic lure– Advanced bat identification– Assessing trees for bats– Selecting optimum trap locations– Radio-tagging bats and locating tree roosts.– Identifying when advanced survey techniques are necessary.– Planning projects, radio tracking and licencing.

Alcathoe Bechstein’s Barbastelle

Night time surveys– Mist netting bats and removal from nets– Harp trapping bats– Use of the sonic lure and different calls available– Handling and bat identification.– Use of night vision cameras– Radio tracking tagged bats.

All inclusive residential course - £595Non-residential including lunches and evening meals - £495(part participation may be possible)

To book this course or for further details please contact:Daniel Whitby – admin@batcru.org

BatCRU is a registered charity – No 1162707 2

Advanced Bat Survey TechniquesAccommodation and Facilities

Slindon Basecamp is one of 35 purpose-built or converted buildings which now provide simple accommodation in well-provided rural locations. Primarily for groups of volunteers who wish to take part in practical conservation work for the National Trust it is also available for hire by recreational, educational and corporate groups.

The basecamp is situated in the rural countryside of West Sussex yet is within easy reach of the coast or towns such as Chichester and Worthing. It was converted in the early 1980s from the former estate offices and can now accommodate self-catering groups of up to seventeen people. It is well-equipped and has a high standard of facilities:

Three dormitories:1 sleeping ten1 sleeping six1 individual leader’s room

Fully-equipped kitchen/dining areawith a gas cooker, 1 fridge 1freezer, utensils, crockery andcutlery.

The local garage shop is wellstocked whilst Chichester hasSainsbury and Tesco stores.

The basecamp is fully-equippedwith toilets and showers (the twomain dormitories have additionalwashbasins). A washing machineand drying room are also available.

The building has central heatingand wood burner in the lounge.

There is adequate parking in theadjacent estate yard.

A full range of hand tools isavailable, sufficient to tackle mosttasks.

Nearby Trust properties include theSouth Downs, Petworth House,Uppark and the 3,500-acre SlindonEstate.

H

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ConditionsThe basecamp must be kept clean, tidy and left in as good a condition as it was found. Damages must be reported and it is then at the Trust’s discretion whether these are charged to the group.

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Location

Directions

The basecamp is easy to find on the northern edge of the village.Slindon is situated off the A29, close to its junction with the A27. Fromthe A29 go through the village and shortly after passing the CatholicChurch there is a left turn immediately before a sharp left-hand bend.This is the basecamp entrance which is shared with Slindon College.

SLINDON PARK

A27

CHICHESTER

A29

BOGNOR REGIS

TO EARTHAM

A29

BILLINGSHURST

A27

ARUNDEL & WORTHING

SLINDON VILLAGE

R.C. Church

Slindon College

BASECAMP

West Sussex Downs Estate Office, SLINDON, nr. Arundel,

West Sussex, BN18 0RG

Tel: (01243) 814730During normal office hours 4

Advanced Bat Survey TechniquesEquipment list

All delegates will need:

Sleeping bag

Pillow

Towel

Washing kit

Field clothes – for all weathers

Footwear – boots or wellies

Head torch

Hand torch

Bat handling gloves

Daypack/rucksack

Alarm clock

Notepad and pens

Ruler/calipers

Camera

Bat detectors – if you have one

Bring any of your own equipment if you wish to use it

Treats for the organisers

Topics for discussion, project plans etc.

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Advanced Bat Survey TechniquesCourse Tutor Profiles

Daniel Whitby

Daniel has been fascinated with bats since a young age and has travelled extensively working with many different species around the World. Daniel has experience of a wide range of survey methods and conservation techniques. In 2012 he was awarded the Pete Guest award by the Bat Conservation Trust for outstanding voluntary contribution to bat conservation. Daniel has a keen interest in night vision filming and spends hours documenting bat behaviour.

Email. daniel@batdan.co.uk Tel. 07786 546800

Daniel Hargreaves

Steve and Fiona Parker

Daniel is the director of AEWC Ltd and founder of the Bat Conservation and Research Unit, a professional ecologist for over 10 years and was instrumental in the development and field trials of the Sussex autobat. Daniel has radio tagged all 17 UK species and has expert knowledge of a wide range of species notably barbastelles, Bechsteins, grey long-eareds and Alcathoe. Daniel provides training and advice to many organisations including Natural England and the Bat Conservation Trust. Email. daniel@aewc.co.uk Tel. 07764 813002

Steve and Fee are very active voluntary bat workers. They help lead the South Lancashire Bat Group and have vast experience in training, leading and organising bat surveys, walks, talks and bat care. They have worked on projects oversees including Trinidad, Thailand and Poland. Steve is a BCT Trustee where he represents bat groups.

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Advanced Bat Survey TechniquesProgramme

Saturday 30th July12-1pm- arrive at site, settle in and introductions.2pm – Overview of the week, project plan3pm – Trapping methods, effective use of acoustic lures and trapping guidelines Evening- Trapping surveys to catch/tag bats.

Sunday 31st JulyDaytime – find all bats with radio tags attached3pm –Radio tagging, radiotracking, planning, equipment and methodsEvening – emergence survey of tagged bats/trapping

Monday 1st AugustDaytime – find all bats with radio tags attached3pm – Infra-red camera systems – emergence surveys and equipment- see what you could be missing and what needs to be recorded.Evening – split into teams, radiotracking, emergence surveys and trapping.

Tuesday 2nd AugustDaytime – find all bats with radiotags attached3pm – bat identification, using keys and highlighting important features of each UK speciesEvening – split into teams, radiotracking, emergence surveys and trapping.

Wednesday 3rd AugustDaytime – find all bats with radiotags attached3pm – bats and trees 5pm – BBQEvening - split into teams, radiotracking, emergence surveys and trapping.

Thursday 4th AugustDaytime – find all bats with radiotags attached3pm – Project planning and licensing. Evening – split into teams, radiotracking, emergence surveys and trapping.Evening – Swarming survey

Friday 5th AugustDaytime – find all bats with radio tags attached3pm – final session and project summary. Group discussion on topics of your choice.Evening – open options

Saturday 6th August– vacate site by 11am. Find bats with tags on.

Programmes and events may change at any time depending on weather, our radio tracking success, number of bats tagged and the species we have radio tagged.

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Advanced Bat Survey TechniquesRadio Tracking

“The continuous monitoring of the position and range of a individual bat”

1) Radio Tracking Methods:

- VHF Radio (Most commonly used for bats)- Satellite

- GPS (the future?)

2) Equipment required:

- Tag (transmitter) – size, pulse rate, frequency, antenna

- VHF Receiver – makes, models, use

- Aerials – shape, size

3) Tag attachment and ethics

- purpose and time of year

- species, weight, size

- preparation

- follow up

4) Field techniques:

- locating roosts

- following and mapping foraging and commuting areas

- on foot, by car and by plane?

5) Records and interpreting data:

- what to record?

- how to present the information

- sharing information

6) Case studies:

- Nathusius pipistrelle- Serotine bats- Bechstein’s 8

Advanced Bat Survey TechniquesTrapping methods and acoustic lures

“How to catch bats and increase your capture rate”

1) Equipment

Harp traps – design, sizes, number of banks,

Mist netting – sizes, designs, triple highs, canopy

Hand nets – poles, shapes sizes

2) Ethics, welfare and purpose

Why?

When?

Bat welfare

3) Methods, location and choice of trap

Site and study consideration

Harp trap set up and location

Mist net set up and location

Combinations

4) Acoustic lures

History and theory

Equipment

Call types and volume

Ethics and welfare

Harp traps and mist nets

5) Other methods

Hand nets

Pole traps

Triple high

Canopy nets

Flick nets 9

Advanced Bat Survey TechniquesNight vision cameras

“The ability to see and record bat behaviour in complete darkness”

1) Technology

Scopes – binoculars, hunting scopes

Cameras – makes, models,

Infra red lights

2) Practical set up

Situation – roost type, distance, field of view

Zoom, focus

Tripods, batteries and spares

3) Advantages and disadvantages

Unaltered behaviour

Accurate – observer tiredness/concentration, swarming etc

Non-echolocating bats

4) Filming and editing

Purpose – survey, story, behaviour

Scene

Editing software

5) Case studies

Lesser Horseshoe counts

Alcathoe tree roost

Pipistrelle roost counts

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Advanced Bat Survey TechniquesBat Identification and ecology

“The identification of individual species and their life histories”

1) Identification keys and guides

How keys work – field keys and museum keys

Standard measurements

2) UK species list

1. Barbstella barbastellus

2. Rhinolophus ferrumequinum

3. Rhinolophus hipposideros

4. Eptesicus serotinus

5. Nyctalus noctula

6. Nyctalus leisleri

7. Plecotus auritus

8. Plectous austriacus

9. Pipistrellus nathusii

10. Pipistrellus pipistrellus

11. Pipistrellus pygmaeus

12. Myotis daubentonii

13. Myotis nattereri

14. Myotis bechsteinii

15. Myotis brandti

16. Myotis mystacinus

17. Myotis alcathoe

3) Vagrants:

Myotis myotis

Vespertilio murinus

Myotis emarginatus

Myotis dascynme

Pipistrellus kulhii

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Advanced Bat Survey TechniquesBats and trees

“All UK species use trees for roosting, foraging and commuting”

1) Why trees

Roosting

Foraging

Commuting

2) Tree roost features

Bat Tree Habitat Key

Roost features

3) Species ecology and tree roosts

Barbastellus barbastellus

Nycatlus noctula

Myotis bechsteinii

Mytois alcathoe

Others….

4) Assessment of trees

From the ground – binoculars, torches, features, timing

Climbing

Endoscopes

Difficulty

5) Case studies

Natterer’s tree roost

Noctule tree roost

Daubenton’s tree roost

Barbastelle dawn swarming

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Advanced Bat Survey TechniquesPlanning projects and licensing“Bringing it all together and starting your project”

1) Planning your project

What do you need to know?

How and when?

Why?

Collaboration

2) Licenses

Proposal

Training and experience

References

3) Funding and equipment

Funding sources

Equipment – buy, borrow, make

4) Recording

Keeping records

Reports

Confidentiality

Access – social media, website, conference, talks etc.

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